Inlet pressure compensation for a valve system

Abstract

An inlet pressure valve regulation system to provide a regulated fluid flow includes a housing, first piston assembly, regulating valve, and inlet pressure conduit. The housing has an inlet at an inlet end which receives a pressurized fluid and an outlet at an outlet end which provides the regulated fluid flow. The piston assembly is arranged in the housing and has a first cavity and a control orifice to fluidly connect the inlet to the first cavity. The first piston assembly is configured to regulate the fluid flow. The regulating valve has a first valve chamber, a second valve chamber fluidly connected to a vent, a floating valve seat disposed between the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber, and a valve component. The floating valve seat includes a diaphragm and a seat having a passageway to fluidly connect the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An inlet pressure valve regulation system to provide a regulated fluid flow, comprising: a housing having an inlet at an inlet end which receives a pressurized fluid and an outlet at an outlet end which provides the regulated fluid flow; a piston assembly arranged in the housing having a first cavity, a control orifice to fluidly connect the inlet to the first cavity, the piston assembly configured to regulate a fluid flow; a regulating valve having a first valve chamber, a second valve chamber fluidly connected to a vent, a floating valve seat disposed between the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber, and a valve component, a passageway being in cooperative alignment with the valve component; and an inlet pressure conduit to fluidly connect the first cavity to the first valve chamber, wherein an increase in pressure at the inlet is conveyed via the control orifice, the first valve chamber, the inlet pressure conduit, and the first valve chamber to urge the floating valve seat to generate a seal with the valve component which increases pressure within the piston assembly to regulate the fluid flow. 
     
     
       2. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly. 
     
     
       3. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly. 
     
     
       4. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a lever configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat; and a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to contact the lever and urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly. 
     
     
       5. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a solenoid system being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to a control system. 
     
     
       6. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly; and a solenoid system being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to a control system. 
     
     
       7. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the piston assembly is configured to regulate the fluid flow by moving to close the inlet and further configured to regulate the fluid flow by moving to open the inlet. 
     
     
       8. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , wherein the floating valve seat includes a diaphragm and the floating valve seat having the passageway to fluidly connect the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber. 
     
     
       9. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a piston actuator to urge the piston assembly to close. 
     
     
       10. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to expand and urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly. 
     
     
       11. An inlet pressure valve regulation system to provide a regulated fluid flow, comprising: a housing having an inlet at an inlet end which receives a pressurized fluid and an outlet at an outlet end which provides the regulated fluid flow; a piston assembly arranged in the housing having a first cavity, a control orifice to fluidly connect the inlet to the first cavity, the piston assembly configured to regulate a fluid flow; a regulating valve having a first valve chamber, a second valve chamber fluidly connected to a vent, a floating valve seat disposed between the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber, and a valve component, a passageway being in cooperative alignment with the valve component; and an inlet pressure conduit to fluidly connect the first cavity to the first valve chamber, wherein an increase in pressure at the inlet is conveyed via the control orifice, the first valve chamber, the inlet pressure conduit, and the first valve chamber generates a seal with the valve component to regulate the fluid flow. 
     
     
       12. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly. 
     
     
       13. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly. 
     
     
       14. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: a lever configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat; and a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to contact the lever and urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly. 
     
     
       15. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: a solenoid system being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to a control system. 
     
     
       16. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly; and a solenoid system being configured to urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to a control system. 
     
     
       17. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , wherein the piston assembly is configured to regulate the fluid flow by moving to close the inlet and further configured to regulate the fluid flow by moving to open the inlet. 
     
     
       18. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , wherein the floating valve seat includes a diaphragm and the floating valve seat having the passageway to fluidly connect the first valve chamber and the second valve chamber. 
     
     
       19. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: a piston actuator to urge the piston assembly to close. 
     
     
       20. The inlet pressure valve regulation system according to  claim 11 , further comprising: a downstream regulation system having a regulator bellows in fluid communication with the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly, the regulator bellows being configured to expand and urge the valve component toward the floating valve seat in response to the fluid flow downstream of the piston assembly.